Jeff Bezos-backed electric vehicle startup Slate Auto is turning heads across California with a mysterious and unconventional street marketing campaign. In recent days, concept versions of its upcoming EV have popped up in different disguises across cities like Long Beach and Venice — each version hinting at the startup’s big idea: a modular EV that can physically transform to suit the owner’s needs.
With just days to go before its official debut on April 24 at Long Beach Airport, Slate is drumming up intrigue by placing these camouflaged prototypes in public view. The company’s stealthy pre-launch campaign has already fueled curiosity about what it has in store.
A Shape-Shifting EV for Under $25K?
Founded in Michigan in 2022, Slate Auto has quietly built its vision around a customizable EV that adapts like a Transformer. According to insiders, the company is planning to offer a base model priced at around $25,000, dubbed the “Blank Slate.” Buyers will be encouraged to tailor the vehicle to their lifestyle through modular add-ons — a concept hinted at in a trademarked slogan: “We Built It. You Make It.”
Images shared online and sightings in Southern California suggest Slate has designed at least three body styles for its prototype. Over the weekend, a truck wrapped in branding for a fictitious company called “Rockabye Rides” appeared in Venice. The branding linked to a countdown site for Slate’s upcoming reveal. This particular model looked like a compact SUV with a hard bed cover. A similar truck spotted earlier in Long Beach had a more pickup-like silhouette, while another version seen on Reddit resembled a futuristic hatchback akin to the Rivian R3.
Each appearance points to the core promise of Slate’s design — versatility and personalization.
A Show-Stopping Investor Pitch
Slate’s modular EV pitch wasn’t just for show. Sources close to the company say it staged dramatic investor presentations to secure over $100 million in funding. During these meetings, potential backers were first introduced to a generic version of the vehicle. Then, as part of a carefully orchestrated pitch, they were led out of the room while a crew reconfigured the vehicle’s design. When they returned, the car looked entirely different — emphasizing its ability to transform quickly and easily.
This unique strategy reportedly paid off. High-profile investors, including Mark Walter, CEO of Guggenheim Partners and principal owner of the LA Dodgers, took part in Slate’s Series B round and joined the board.
Exterior Revealed, Interior Still a Mystery
While Slate’s outer design is now partly public — thanks to photos and first-hand accounts from automotive journalists — the interior and performance specs remain under wraps. Reporters who’ve previewed the vehicle ahead of the event are bound by non-disclosure agreements, further fueling the mystery.
One journalist who saw the truck described it as something unlike any vehicle he had ever encountered — not just during his years covering the auto industry, but in his entire lifetime.
Slate Auto is clearly betting big on its vision of a shape-shifting, customizable EV — one that breaks with convention and lets buyers build a vehicle as unique as they are.
